Metal panel cutter



Patented May 7,

-- UNITED STATES;

METAL rAnELfoU'r'iu-ur], f; George M. Walraven, Kenoshzn wisi; assignor .to

Snap- On Tools, "Inc poration of Delaware-- Application July 6, 1931, Serial isfactory for removing portions of panels so that a defective region thereof may be corrected or suitably patched without requiring an. entirely new piece of sheet material or metal panel.v .In straightening out automobile bodies, there are times when an area thereof is so completely defective through injury that it is impossible to correct samewith any degree of perfection, It

is necessary, therefore, to remove the defective section or area so that atool has been provided to provide a clean slit in a surface soffthat it can, be displaced thereover to remove :any desired or predetermined area thereof. 1 x

2B One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve theoperation of devices of the character mentioned. Another object is to provide aqsimple andmore effective panel cuttingtool that is easily, displaced 0 over a surface for. removing'any portion thereof.

Still another object is to provide ,apanelcutter of the chisel type that is readily manipulated to remove any portion of a panel and definea clean commercial practice maydictate. y

Afurthergobjct is to provide a-simple and im-' proved panel cutting tool that has an adjustablw mounted cutter displacedcovera surface:v by re- .sort to the repeated impacts of a hammer;

A still further object'isto provide a panel cutting tool having 'a substantially flat surface that is displaced over a panel to-ca'rry a cutter that defines a clean and narrow slit in a flat or curved surface: y-

Still 'a' further object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and effective tool that is easily displaced overa surface to remove any portion thereof.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodimentof the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view. of a de-, vice embodying features of the present invention.-

f of the device shown in Figure 1.'

[in upwardly inclined extremities l2.

edge for repair, patching or other correction .as

Kenosha,= "Wis, a "cor- Figure 2"is a fragmentary side view in elevation Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line IIII1I of Figu're 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV.IV of Figure 2. v

The structure selected for illustration comprises an elongated member I!) having a .substantially fiat bottom surface ll thatterminates the head 10 isbifurcated along a longitudinal median line to present an open groove l3 communicating with the extremity thereof. The extremities of the furcated head Ill presents converging extreme edges l4 and I5 defining pointed extremities l6 and II, respectively. The pointed extremities l6 and I1 have the upwardly inclined surface 12 described Supra, and these are provided on the bifurcations l8 and I9 defining the head lll with the longitudinal median groove I3 therein; 1. I The top surfaces 20 of the bifurcations l8 and |'9,.are downwardly inclined toward the extremitieslG-and ll thereof, and theentire head l0 merges ,with the upwardly. inclined shank 2| 5 formed integral therewith to terminate ina substantially elongatedyhandle; member, '22 that serves as a hammer impacting expedient to. displace the head "lover a curved or flat surface as will appear more fully hereinafterv The head 1 .3 I0,.shank 2! and handle member 22 are preferablythough not essentially stamped, forged or otherwise shaped from a-single'pieceof material. to present a cutter holder;

It is to be noted that the impa cting extremity 85 7 23 01" the handlejchamber 22 is chamfered as at 24 to provide an end surfacethat will not be ir-- regularly swaged responsive to'repeatedimpacts byahammer head or similar tool. With this:

arrangement, it will be noted that the longitu-,40

dinal axis of the handle member 22 is in substantially a plane parallel to the substantially I flat bottom surface ll of the head l0 so that impacts directed against the handle extremity 23m will tend to displace the head l0 over a surface 25 of a sheet of material 26 that is tohave an. area or portion thereof removed in a manner; that will appear more fully hereinafter.-

To this end, a flat substantially thin cutting blade 21 has its bottom longitudinal edge 28 mounted in an inclined slot 29 stamped or otherwise formed in the inclined shanl; 2| for the entire length thereof to present a sharp oblique cutting extremity 3D in the groove l3 and between the furcations presented by the portions substantially o As shown, 10 I Iii) l8 and I!) of the head Ill. Because the shank 2| is inclined or on the bias, the blade extremity 'and is within the groove l3 of the head ID to avoid obstruction to the continued displacement of the cutting blade 21 thereof. The chip 33 assumes the shape of a convolution and consti tutes the material from which the slit 32 isprovided in'the sheet material 26 in order to effectively remove any defective area or portion thereof.

In order to adjustably secure the cutting blade 21 in the desired position, a threaded rod 34.

terminates in a cylindrical: body 35 of substan-' tially rectangular cross-sectionfor reception in a correspondingly shaped aperture 36 formed transversely through the shank 2| and communicating/with the blade receivinglongitudinal slot 29. The blade engaging body 35 is provided 1 with a rectangular slot 31 somewhat larger in cross-section than the blade 21 which is freely disposed therethrough when lodged in the longitudinal slot 29 provided in the shank 2|.

A nut 38 threadedly engages the shank 34 to secure the blade 21 in' any desired adjustable position along the inclined slot 29 so that its extremity 30 may be adjusted to the desired-extent beyond the bottom flat surface ll of the head l0 and between the bifurcations l8 and I! therein. It will be observed that the substantially fiat bottom surface ll of the head ill will serve as a rest therefor and determine the position of the handle member 22 that receives impacts at its extremity 23 from the hammer to displace the head It with its cutter blade 21 along a surface to provide a clean supporting slot 32 corresponding in width to the blade cutter edge III. The head l0 may be guided along any desired course and is intended to remove the defective portions of a sheet of material that is to be repaired such as an automobile body and the like that is damaged and requires correction by patching or otherwise. A tool of this character is desirable to remove the defective area in sheet steel when such has been damaged to such an extent that will not enable its repair without a new patch or substitute sheet of material inserted in the region that has been removed.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any v of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:-

In a device of the character-described, the combination with an elongated member having a furcated fiat bottom surface for traversing over a surface to be slitted, of an upwardly inclined handle member formed on said elongated surface member, a surface slitting tool mounted between the furcations of said surface member, slotted means for receiving and adjustably mounting said slitting tool relative to said flat surface member, and fastener means for said slotted means so that. the cutting edge thereof is adjustably disposed below the flat bottom surface of said elongated member for slitting responsive to movement imparted through said handle member with .thefiat surface of said first named elongated member in contact with the surface to be'slit'ted; 1

-2."In a deviceof the" character described, the combination with a substantially rectangular flat- -plate member having .anelongated furcated fiat bottom surface for traversing over a surface to be slitted, of an upwardly inclined handle member integrally extending from the extremity of said substantially rectangular plate member and, constituting a furcated'extension of said furcated fiat bottom surface, a surfaceslitting tool mounted between'the'furcations of saidsurface member, fastener screw means extending between the furcations of said upwardly inclined handle member for adjustably mounting said slitting tool along said upwardly inclined handle member so that the cutting edge thereof is disposed between said furcations and below said surface for slitting responsive to movement imparted by hammer impacts against the extremity of said handle member to displace said surface member with said slitting tool over a fiat surface to be slitted.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with an elongated furcated surface plate member for traversing over a surface to be slitted, of an upwardly inclined furcated shank 40 extending from said surface member, a handle member connected to said inclined shank, a slitting tool mounted between the furcations of said inclined shank to project. between the furcations of said surface member sothat its cutting edge is disposed below its surface for slitting responsive to the movement of said plate member occasioned by hammer impacts to said handle member, and a slotted member extending between the furcations of said shank to receive said slitting tool and retain such in adjusted position along said furcated shank.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with an elongated surface plate member for traversing over a surface to be slitted, of an upwardly inclined shank extending from said surface member, a handle member connected to said inclined shank, a slitting tool adjustably mounted on said inclined shank to project between the furcations of said surface memher so that its cutting edge is disposed below its surface for slitting responsive to the movement of said plate member occasioned by hammer impacts to said handle member, and a slotted tool mount to receive said slitting tool for adjusted attachment along said inclined shank member.

GEORGE M. 

